Shabbos - Intact Challah

QUESTION: A small piece of my challah broke off. Can it still be used for lechem mishneh?

ANSWER: Ideally, one should use challahs that are completely intact. If a challah is missing a small piece, less than one part out of forty eight, there is a disagreement as to whether it is still considered whole (see Shaarei Teshuva 274:1). Many poskim are lenient (Minchas Yaakov, Machatzis Hashekel). The Aruch HaShulchan (274:5) writes that if one has no other bread, they should still use two loaves, even if they are both missing more than a forty-eighth.

If one can attach two halves of a loaf with a toothpick so that it appears that it is one complete loaf, then this may now be considered a complete loaf and used for lechem mishneh (see Magen Avrohom 168:4). 

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.